By Dickens Wasonga.

The Kenyans for Kenya initiative over the weekend got a boost when a Kisumu based non-governmental organization donated food and medicine worth Sh.5 million to help those currently faced with starvation in the northern parts of the country.

OGRA foundation, a Kenyan local NGO in partnership with Direct Relief International responded to the Kenya Red Cross Emergency appeal by making a donation worth Sh.4.5 M which included drugs, medicines and food to hunger stricken families in areas such as Turkana North and Central and Lokolir which are the worst hit by the food crisis.

Part of the food donated and presented to the Red Cross Kisumu regional office by the foundation’s C.O.E Dr.Hezron Makobewa included 150 bags of maize.

Mr. Ken Wafula, the national chairman of the NGO council who received the donation before handing it over to the Red Cross Society in Kisumu appealed to all active NGO countrywide to support the food initiative.

Wafula noted that it was a pity Kenya which is blessed with fertile farming lands was in dire need of food attributing the current food scarcity to poor and bad governance.

” It is shameful that our people should go hungry in a country that can grow enough food to feed everybody and even export the surplus. We fail to plan well.In times of plenty, our farmers get stuck with their produce in the farms.Most of the yields even rot and poor markets is the order of the day’ he said.

The NGO boss called on the government to allocate more money into agriculture and give subsidies to farmers to boost food security.

The Red Cross Society’s deputy secretary general Dr.James Kisia said the situation was still dire in north Turkana where malnutrition rates were at between 37-38 per cent with emergency rates being at 15 per cent in most of the hardest hit areas.

” In the worst hit areas , 9 year old children weigh as a low as 3kgs.” In areas of Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit and Mwingi malnutrition rates is over 20 per cent.These are not just figures.They have profound effect on the development of this nation.” said Dr.Kisia.

The appeal which was launched after reports indicated millions of people across the country were facing starvation due to prolonged drought sought to raise over 600 million shillings and has seen an overwhelming support from many Kenyans.

” We feel greatly humbled by the response. We have seen pouring of assistance even from regions where hunger is hardly an issue, people who are very compassionate.” said Kisia.

OGRA Foundation also responded to the humanitarian crisis three years ago which resulted from the disputed results of the2007 general election by donating both food and medicine through its partnership with the Kenya Red Cross Society.

The intervention saw the restoration of the health care to hundreds of both vulnerable and general population in western parts of Kenya.

ENDS.